Suicide Squad Joker Costume: Joke’s on You, Fanboys!

By Shrey Sankalp

Oh boy, this is a can of worms if there ever was one.

I still remember when the first look of Jared Leto’s Suicide Squad Joker costume was officially released, it damn near broke the internet with the way it ditched the classic costume and appearance for a more…”interesting” look.

Gone were the purple suit and elegance, replaced by tattoos and a look that fails the English dictionary when it comes to finding words to be described.

It’s almost as Jared Leto’s character from Dallas Buyers Club walked into the world’s worst salon and tattoo parlor to get the Joker look done.

Once the memestorm the photo triggered had died down, there was a glimmer of hope that maybe the tattoos were just used in the promotional images and won’t be a apart of the actual costume, but alas, set photos and other promotional material soon hit the net showing Leto in full costume, and the worst was confirmed.

Photo: Warner Bros.

Now just so we’re clear, I have nothing against Jared Leto. I think he’s a very capable actor (his Academy Award is a testament to that) who can pull off any role he wanted to, and from what I’ve heard of his on-set antics and preparation for the role, he truly committed to the role.

When you see and hear him in the film’s promotional materials, he seems like he could be truly great, but then there’s the prison-cartel-asylum chic costume – try as I might, that is one costume I’m never going to be okay with. 

Photo: Warner Bros.

The Joker, as a character, has evolved quite a bit over the years – from goofy clown to full on murderous creep, and his costume has been updated to reflect that. 

Cesar Romero’s costume was a lively shade of purple that would be at home in a circus, Jack Nicholson’s Joker retained the costume and its colors, but its classy fit made it seem like it had a designer’s label on its inside.

The Joker’s costume survived Nolanization too, retaining all its signature flourishes, while adding the ‘custom, no tags’ vibe that made the costume both believable and slightly fantastic.

Of course, adopting a new look for the Joker isn’t a bad idea, but I just wish the design had been more timeless. 

The sheer number of purple clown costumes seen on Halloween and during SDCC month shows why the character’s costume never underwent a major redesign in all these years.

In going for the edgy look, Jared Leto has sacrificed the Joker’s timelessness.

Photo by T.J. Hawk/CC BY 

Of all the changes to Leto’s costume, some I can accept and understand.

Slicked back hair? Okay, maybe the Joker found a love for combs (although he never seemed like the man who would).

Changing clothes? Well, maybe he decided to renew his lapsed subscription to GQ.

Teeth grills? Maybe Batman knocked out his teeth and he couldn’t afford proper procedure?

Tattoos? JUST NO. 

Ayer states repeatedly how he wanted the Joker to look like cartel lords and have a modern street vibe, but the tattoos are simply excessive. Damaged written on the forehead? Hahas tattooed on his chest? Smiles tattooed on his arms? Get outta here.

It’s like Jeremy Jahns said when the costume was unveiled – this version of the Joker looks like something a diehard fan would look like. And fair enough, if a fan had designed a costume like this and you saw him, you’d compliment him on his ingenuity, but when the same costume turns up being worn by the man himself, and that too in a big budget movie…

All I can hope for is that he’ll keep his shirt (or that hideous purple leather jacket overcoat thing) on in the film and minimize our exposure to his tattoos.

Photo: Warner Bros.

That said, I still believe in Jared Leto, and I feel that he’ll probably give a performance so gleefully unhinged, that he will make up for the change to the costume and enter the elite Joker club.

Either way, there’s only one way to find out.

(PS. WB/DC, if y’all could stop experimenting with these “edgy” costumes and just give us the classic ones like you did with Batman, that’d be great).